Jakob Ingebrigtsen claimed victory in the men's 5,000m final at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest on 11/9, marking a powerful return to the top seven months after Achilles tendon surgery. The Norwegian runner crossed the finish line in 12 minutes 59,24 seconds, his best performance of the season. Reigning world champion Cole Hocker of the US finished second with 13 minutes 0,05 seconds, while fellow American Parker Wolfe took third place with 13 minutes 0,13 seconds.

Norwegian athlete Jakob Ingebrigtsen crosses the finish line, winning the 5,000m final at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary on 11/9/2026. Photo: AP

The race maintained a high pace, with a large group of athletes still in contention entering the final lap. Ingebrigtsen patiently held his position before unleashing a powerful kick on the final bend. As he entered the home straight, the 25-year-old pulled ahead, quickly creating a gap between himself and Hocker and Wolfe.

According to the Guardian, Ingebrigtsen completed the final lap in 54,39 seconds, covering the last 100m in just 12,6 seconds. His signature kick once again proved decisive against a strong field of competitors.

This victory earned Ingebrigtsen 150,000 USD, the highest prize money for a champion in each event at the new World Athletics (WA) competition. The Ultimate Championship, held for the first time this year in Budapest, Hungary from 11 to 13/9, brings together many of the world's top athletes and boasts a total prize fund of 10 million USD. The event takes place in what is considered an "off-year" for world athletics, positioned between the World Championships in Tokyo 2025 and Beijing 2027.

Beyond the prize money, yesterday's championship win further underscores Ingebrigtsen's impressive comeback after a prolonged battle with injury. Problems with his Achilles tendon caused the Olympic 5,000m champion to miss much of the 2025 outdoor season. The World Championships in Tokyo in 9/2025 was the only outdoor event he competed in that year. Ingebrigtsen was eliminated in the 1,500m heats and finished 10th in the 5,000m, an event where he was the defending world champion at the time.

Ingebrigtsen's spectacular kick in the final lap of the 5,000m Ultimate Championship on 11/5.

In early 2026, Ingebrigtsen decided to undergo surgery to definitively address the issue with his left Achilles. According to European Athletics, the surgery took place in 2, followed by months of recovery before he could return to training with spikes on the track. At one point, his support team was unsure if Ingebrigtsen would be able to compete in 2026.

Ingebrigtsen finally returned to the track at the European Championships in Birmingham on 10/8, nearly 11 months after his previous competition. In his very first race back, he won the 5,000m in 13 minutes 15,29 seconds, securing his seventh European gold medal.

One month later in Budapest, Ingebrigtsen ran more than 16 seconds faster than his Birmingham performance, achieving a sub-13-minute 5,000m time for the first time since 2021. His ability to deliver a strong kick at the end of a sub-13-minute race indicates the Norwegian athlete is nearing his best physical condition following surgery.

Norwegian athlete Jakob Ingebrigtsen runs fourth, drafting behind competitors before accelerating in the final stretch to win the 5,000m final at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary on 11/9/2026. Photo: AP

Ingebrigtsen currently holds a rare set of achievements in middle and long-distance events. He won Olympic gold in the 1,500m at Tokyo 2020 and the 5,000m at Paris 2024, in addition to two 5,000m world championships and numerous European titles.

His victory in Budapest is also notable because the runner-up, Hocker, was the athlete who defeated Ingebrigtsen in the 1,500m final at the Paris 2024 Olympics. At the Ultimate Championship, the Norwegian runner overcame his American rival using the very weapon that led to his defeat in Paris: a strong kick in the final lap.

Ingebrigtsen is also entered to compete in the 1,500m in Budapest, where he can further test his recovery capabilities after nearly a year of his career was disrupted by the Achilles injury.

Compiled by Nhat Tao